Running Into You
by FairiesAndUnicorns
Summary: Erza and Jellal run into one-another while both out walking late at night on Valentine's Day. Erza invites Jellal up to her dorm to have some hot chocolate. Can she continue to hide her feelings for him? And can he let go of his guilt and open his heart to her? Lemon in later chapters.


Hello! This is my Valentine's Day Erza and Jellal story. Hope you enjoy!

I do not own Fairy Tail, or its characters. All those original works are by Hiro Mashima. We are just having fun here!

This story takes place after the Alvarez Arc.

CHAPTER ONE-THE MAN IN THE CLOAK

Erza Scarlet couldn't sleep. She couldn't sit still. That's why she wandered the streets of Magnolia late at night, as February 13 turned to February 14. Typically, women were not encouraged to wander around the town late at night alone, but Erza knew that if anyone made the mistake of trying to do anything to her, they would be lucky if they had any bones left in their bodies following their encounter.

Too bad no one was out. Erza felt strange. She wanted to be alone, but then she also felt lonely. Was it Valentine's Day? Who knew? She laughed at herself. Of course it was because it was Valentine's Day. She needed to stop living in denial about everything. As she had discovered before, the armor around her heart had served no purpose beyond separating her from those she cared about.

Even this late at night, Erza carried a satchel. Inside it, she had a small and sweet valentine and chocolate she had made for Jellal. She couldn't believe she was such a sap. But when it boiled down to it, she really wished he was here with her. She wished he would stop punishing himself and join Fairy Tail and be with her. She wished she could catch up with him more than once every several months, or sometimes every several years. Her life was so full of so many wonderful friends and her Fairy Tail family, but she always missed Jellal. Always.

She rounded a bend, about a half block away from Fairy Hills on her way back, when she saw the hooded figure standing in front of Fairy Hills. She quickened her pace. Who was this? What were they doing standing in front of the Fairy Tail Girls' dormitory like a creep? She was ready to have some words with this stranger, when he turned around and look straight at her. Her breath escaped her. The beautiful brown eyes looking right at her were Jellal's.

"Didn't anyone ever tell you not to wander around at night alone?" Jellal's friendly voice inquired.

Erza wanted to giggle like a schoolgirl, and run up to Jellal and jump into his arms and give him a giant hug. Instead, she chuckled, and replied, "But of course. Since when have I done as I was told to do?"

"Not even once since I met you."

Erza smiled. "It's good to see you, Jellal. What are you doing here?"

Jellal approached her, and stopped just in front of her. "I was just passing through. I thought I would see if you were, you know, wandering around the streets late at night just like me. It's surprising how many times I run into you wandering around late at night. Just like last Christmas..."

Erza could feel her face turning red with heat. "It appears that you have a talent for walking in on my best behavior."

Jellal smiled. "It's always a delight."

Erza coughed. Damn, why was it so hard to talk to him? "Would you like to come up for a hot drink? It's quite cold."

"I really should get going."

Erza stepped right up to him, then wrapped her hand around Jellal's wrist, pulling him closer. "Why? You just got here. You and I both know you're going to go wherever you go and not sleep, and I'm going to go home and not sleep. So why don't we keep each other company for a bit? I'd really like to catch up."

Jellal opened his mouth, then closed it. Then, replied, "All right. I guess a hot drink wouldn't hurt. Thank you for the invitation."

Erza let go of his wrist, smiled, and led him to the front door, up the stairs, and to her giant five-rooms dorm. She unlocked the front door, opened it, and held it open for Jellal.

"Ladies first," he said.

God, why did he have to be so smooth and such a gentleman? It was like every word out of his mouth wrapped her around his finger even more.

So she went in first, with Jellal following her. She flipped on the light, and turned to see Jellal staring at her massive armor collection on display with wide eyes. Then, he laughed. "I knew your place would be different than any I had seen before, but I didn't think it would be quite like this."

"Well, you know. I am the armor hoarder. Come over here... here is my comfy couch. Have a seat, and make yourself at home. Would you like hot chocolate, hot apple cider, coffee, or tea?"

"A hot chocolate, please. Thank you, Erza."

Erza put the kettle on, and as she waited for it to boil, wandered back into the room where Jellal was not sitting, but browsing Erza's armor and weapon collection. "This collection of yours is really quite extraordinary. Your home is like a museum."

"What can I say? I am an armor and weapons hoarder. And armor...it makes me feel safe."

Jellal turned around and looked right at her, his eyes shadowed by sadness. "I often wonder if you wouldn't have felt that way if I had not been seduced by the darkness. I am so sorry, Erza."

The kettle started whistling suddenly, so Erza didn't have time to reply as she attended the boiling water and mixed her favorite hot chocolate recipe. When it was done, she topped it with some whipped cream and chocolate shavings. She was such a sucker for sweets. Fortunately, she knew that Jellal was as weak to sweets as she was.

She placed the tall and wide mugs of steaming hot chocolate on a silver tray, and brought them into the room where Jellal was. "Sorry I had to leave in the middle of our conversation. Please stop apologizing. You are not the one that caused me to wear my armor. You lived through the same horrors I did, and then even worse. Yet, here we are. Safe, sound, and about to have the best mugs of hot chocolate that we have ever had. I hope you are ready for my secret recipe."

She sat down next to Jellal, pulling a coffee table from the side of the couch to right in front of them so she could set down the tray.

"Those are the largest mugs of hot chocolate I have ever seen," remarked Jellal.

Erza laughed. "Well, you can't have too much hot chocolate!"

"Can't argue with that."

They each lifted their mug of hot chocolate and took their first sips, slowly. It was definitely hot, and it warmed Erza's mouth and throat and body immediately, while she felt the ecstasy of sweet chocolate taste flow through her mouth. Oh, goodness, it was so good. She could kiss the woman who had given her the recipe a few years back. Best. Gift. Ever.

"Okay, I am not one to usually rave about something like hot chocolate, but this is amazing. I didn't know hot chocolate could taste so good!" Jellal cracked a genuine smile, before taking more sips of hot chocolate, resulting in a whipped-cream moustache.

Erza laughed, and reached over to wipe off his moustache with her finger. Before she knew what she was doing, she licked the whipped cream off of her finger. When she realized what she had done, she felt her face get hot again.

Jellal was also turning red. "Hey, you stole that. I wanted that whipped cream!"

"Sorry," Erza responded, trying not to stutter, "finders, keepers!"

Jellal laughed, and they fell into an awkward silence. The only sound in the room was their breathing, and the sound of them sipping their hot chocolate.

Erza didn't want him to leave. Ever. Dammit. She needed to make this hot chocolate last forever.

Before she could stop herself, she went to her satchel and pulled out the Valentine's package she had put together for Jellal. She felt she was going to die from the anxiety of putting it out there like this, but she had finally reached a point where she felt it hurt a thousand times worse every time she had to say goodbye. She had to try, at least. And cherish the moments they had together. They were so special to her. She couldn't waste their precious time together anymore.

"Jellal, I hope this isn't too presumptuous, but I...I got you something, for, you know, today." She held the package in front of her for Jellal.

His face turned red again. He set down his mug, and took the package out of her hands, his eyes wide. "That's really, really thoughtful of you, Erza. Thank you."

He went to put it away in his bag, and Erza reached over and blocked his hand. "No, please open it here. I never get to see you. I want to watch you open it."

Jellal swallowed, and nodded. He untied the beautiful ribbon, and opened the box. Inside, was a little note, written in beautiful calligraphy. "Just wanted to let you know I was thinking of you on this special day. I hope you are well. I look forward to the day we will meet again." Then, under the note, were chocolate-covered strawberries Erza had hand-dipped herself. When they were building the Tower of Heaven way back in the day, Jellal had always talked about how the first thing he wanted to eat when they escaped was chocolate-covered strawberries. They were his favorite food, he always said. Erza hoped he still liked them.

Jellal's eyes welled up with tears. He covered his eyes with his right hand, taking a deep breath. "I...I'm sorry, Erza. I can't seem to keep it together. This was so thoughtful of you. Thank you."


End file.
